In the dark cell, faced with the questioning of Barney Jr. and Belletti, Samir's face was gloomy, as if he had been severely wounded.

Looking at this scene of fratricide, Thales suddenly had more and deeper insights into the Royal Guards and the Year of Blood.

No matter who betrayed them, no matter what the truth was, it seemed that the Star Royal Guards' own problems were unmistakable in the face of that thrilling assassination in the Fuxing Palace.

But that's not the point.

Betrayal is far more than just a process of estrangement between like-minded people and close friends. Under the most superficial and superficial triggers, there are often deeper truths hidden.

In the North, Lombard's rebellion stemmed from the fierce backlash after the natural king came to Exeter. The swing in the dark room was actually a rational choice after the decline of Exeter's royal power. The betrayal of the Deathhorn Crow was rooted in the past.

King Nun's manipulative tactics left a legacy.

In Stars, the Duke of the North's conspiracy to usurp the throne always revolves around the game between the Bright Star royal family and the Arlend family against Dragon Broken Fortress and the North of Stars, as well as the collective collusion of the "New Star" noble faction such as Kevin Dill and Nantryster.

express their expectations and ambitions for the distribution of power in this country.

Even in front of Thales, the chaos of the Blade Tooth camp, which facilitated the infiltration of foreign enemies and put him in trouble, was not the result of the Blade Tooth Baron and the Duke of the Western Wilderness, the standing army and the levies, the Bright Star royal family and the Western Wilderness nobles.

, between Yongxing City and Ruins, between the central part of the kingdom and the western frontier, is it a complex and changeable, vaguely hostile, yet interdependent stage of competition in the face of the desert enemy?

So, what about the Year of Blood?

Thinking of this, Thales suddenly came to a realization: the apparent split in the royal guard was not an exception, let alone the main cause. It was just a reflection, reflecting the biggest contradiction of that era.

In the turbulent waves of that era, these poor people could only drift with the waves, unable to recover, even if they always adhered to their true intentions.

Even if he is a peerless master.

Even if he is the king of a country.

Even... a magician.

There was silence in the prison for a long time.

Until Ricky's sneer sounded faintly.

"Just as I thought."

Little Barney, who was immersed in resentment and unwillingness, and Samir, who was lost in sorrow and despair, both turned their eyes.

I saw the leader of the Sword of Disaster slowly stepping forward and standing side by side with Samir.

"Do you understand now, Samir?"

Ricky said as he suddenly raised the torch, illuminating the mark on the latter's face.

Semier, who looked lonely, was stimulated by the light of the fire. He subconsciously raised his hands to cover himself and took a few steps back.

"No matter how much you want to go back to where you started, how much you want to redeem the regrets of the past, and heal the scars of the past."

Ricky said expressionlessly: "No matter how much you want to get rid of that ugly mark on your face."

Samuel put down his palms in embarrassment, straightened his back again, struggled with his face, lowered his head and panted.

Ricky sneered, suddenly withdrew the torch, and turned around to light up the cell on the other side.

"But this is the answer."

The prisoners behind the fence were also embarrassed to avoid the firelight that Ricky deliberately approached. Only Barney, who was breathing rapidly, stood there, only turning his face to the side, and did not retreat at all.

Looking at several prisoners in ragged clothes and desolate expressions, Ricky clicked his tongue and shook his head: "This is the past and yesterday's answer to you."

Samir did not speak, he just looked at his colleagues in the prison who were once high-spirited but now dirty and embarrassed.

The past and yesterday.

He said silently in his heart.

"and who are you?"

Little Barney looked at Ricky with disdain:

"Is he also Shadow Shield, one of those disgusting scum?"

Ricky stared at Little Barney closely, as if he wanted to see something from him, but after a few seconds, he just smiled and shook his head.

"He can't make that oath," Ricky slowly withdrew the torch, making his face that looked like he had gone through many vicissitudes of life shine brighter, and he nuzzled his chin towards Semier:

"Because just an hour ago, he joined us and kidnapped King Kessel's only son."

"The last bloodline of Bright Star."

As soon as these words came out, Thales' breathing suddenly stopped!

Sure enough, the eyes of the prisoners in the Royal Guard all changed.

"Wha-what?"

Little Barney spoke slowly, his doubts revealed in his tone.

"Bright Star?"

Thales immediately felt that several eyes came out of the darkness behind the prison and descended on him in unison.

Marina, who was responsible for taking care of the prince, felt inexplicable pressure and caused the Swords of Disaster around her to surround Thales even tighter.

"You said...kidnapping?" Belletti's voice was slightly trembling.

"When," Naji, who had been humming a tune, had already gotten up from the ground, in disbelief:

"The new king has a son and a new heir?"

Outside the cell, Samir still said nothing, but his face was sad.

"Kidnapping the prince? You? Samir, is what he said true?" Nai opened his big eyes, his cheeks twitched, and looked nervously outside the prison: "That young man with a bad look is the current bright star.

?”

"Hahahaha, it's so funny." Tardin, who had been beaten with his roommate earlier, looked at Samir in front of him, and then at Thales in the distance. His laughter was bleak, and the sarcasm was getting stronger and stronger: "

It’s getting more and more interesting hahaha…”

Outside the cell, Samir lowered his head in despair and gently closed his eyes.

Seeing their different reactions and bearing their gazes from the darkness, Thales was stunned.

Barney Jr., Belletti, Nye, Tardin, Bree, Naki, Cannon.

The eyes of the former royal guards were very complicated, and the prince could not accurately distinguish their emotions at the moment.

Is it stunned, sighing, regretful, or excited and dejected?

Thales didn't know.

They are clearly looking at themselves now.

But it's like looking at the past.

Ricky, who had just told the truth, looked at Samir beside him and frowned slightly when he saw that he still looked lost.

The silence and surprise inside and outside the cell only lasted for a short period of time.

"So you really can't make an oath, right?"

Naji sat back on the ground, with a calm face and a touch of relief in his voice: "Samuel, I really hope you know what you are doing,"

"Whether it was then or now."

"real."

Samir's expression changed. He raised his head with a slight hope, as if he wanted to find some comfort and understanding:

"Naki..."

But Naji shook his head:

"Don't talk to me. Go talk to Barney. The person with the highest position has the final say."

Samir's words stalled. He closed his mouth in disappointment and looked at the vanguard, Little Quil Barney.

The shock in Barney's eyes was slowly replaced by surprise and indifference.

"So this is the answer," the pioneer officer stared at the depressed Samir with a complicated expression. "No matter whether you betrayed or not... today, so many years later, you have still become a traitor after all."

At that moment, Samir's expression froze.

"So what is this?" Little Barney sneered and leaned against the wall, no longer looking at his old companions:

"Giving up on yourself?"

Samuel took a deep breath and moved his lips, but in the end he couldn't say anything.

Ricky, who watched this scene coldly, smiled softly.

"How's it going, Samir?"

"Tell them this," Ricky gently dropped the torch and let it roll on the dusty ground: "Then defend yourself, tell them you are not a traitor, tell them you are still one

That good brother from back then.”

There was a touch of sarcasm in his tone.

"Does this make you feel better?"
To be continued...